Local men charged with child porn, solicitation in task force operation

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When a special task force was created to catch child predators, officials thought it would be a summer-only investigation.

Three months in, however, they have admitted the presence of online child predators in the Crossroads is a distressing danger to children here.

“I was hoping it wasn’t all that prevalent or necessary, and we wouldn’t have to continue,” said Victoria County Sheriff T. Michael O’Connor. “‘Unfortunately, it has become more prevalent than we anticipated … This is one of our missions in the next four years - to push this out.”

The Victoria Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, made up of Victoria County Sheriff’s Office deputies and Victoria police officers, has arrested four local men, charging them with online solicitation of a minor or possession of child pornography. The team has developed at least 100 other potential cases and at least three more local arrests are pending in the investigation.

In addition to these arrests, the Victoria task force also led to the arrest of four out-of-state men who were preying on Crossroads children - from Utah, Pennsylvania, Florida and West Virginia. Another man was from Russia, who may face charges after diplomatic discussions.

Many were caught sending and receiving sexual images to and from children.

Chief Deputy Terry Simons said they will continue with the task force indefinitely.

“Bottom line is, if you are a child predator in Victoria, you might want to go find another place to do it,” Simons said. “Because these guys are going to catch you.”

Each case took 20-40 man hours to develop probable cause for search warrants. Once all electronic devices are seized from a warrant, it could take officers an additional 150 hours to forensically sift through new data.

Simons said he has seen a horrific progression of child porn in his 30 years in law enforcement.

“We knew it was going to get worse, but none of us anticipated where it is headed today,” he said. “Very rarely did you see infants engaged in sexual intercourse. Now it is common.”

Some pornographic material uncovered showed infants and children in sexual bondage or even simulated murders.

Vincent Tyler Jimenez, 31, of Hallettsville, who was charged with online solicitation of a minor, was reportedly soliciting to children as young as 11, Simons said.

This type of investigation, however, can be “toxic” for the officers, especially those with children, Simons said, because of the often gruesome material they are exposed to.

“One of the things I have to deal with, is the images I can’t erase,” said Sgt. Daniel Simons, who is leading the task force. “I’ll have to deal with those, but I feel that this is a calling. I feel called to seek out those who would harm our children in Victoria and stop them before they do.”

Sgt. Simons said each member of the task force deals with the trauma differently and each has limits on what he or she can handle. One team member, for example, refuses to look at child porn.

“He will not do that. He is an excellent investigator, he is a good interviewer, interrogator, but he will not look at child porn because he doesn’t want to deal with that...and that is why you have teams,” he said.

The task force was originally part of a national effort last summer to catch predators when kids spend more time home alone. In 2011, the group arrested two men who have since been convicted on child pornography charges.

The task force spent a lot of time on background work and building the team the first summer, and did not make as many arrests, the sergeant said.

He said a device as simple as an iPod Touch can be incredibly dangerous for children.

“People have been purchasing these devices for their children, 8 and up, the recommended age,” he said. “But with the Internet that device is capable of accessing, you can access the full blown Internet and download applications. We are setting our children up for victimization, and not even knowing.”

O’Connor said it is vital for parents to monitor all of their child’s electronic devices - cell phones, computers, tablets - even when school starts again. He said his own children tease him for being “paranoid,” but he stresses it as a real, and local, problem.

“We are are not paranoid, we just see what goes on here and even we make personal efforts to not be victims,” O’Connor said.

Arrests

2011

Damian Lara Gonzalez, 29, of Victoria was found guilty of two counts of possession of child pornography. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the first count and five for the second count.

Danny Boye Cook, 37, of Pineville, W. Va., was found guilty of transporting sexually explicit images of minors. He was sentenced to five years in federal prison and 15 years of supervised release. He will also be transported to Victoria to face charges from the Victoria District Attorney’s Office.

2012:

Paul Victor Drozd, 20, of Floresville, was charged with online solicitation of a minor.

Michael Anthony Nieto, 44, of Victoria, was charged with possession of child pornography.

Vincent Tyler Jimenez, 31, of Hallettsville, was charged with online solicitation of a minor.

Jason Terrence Leita, 37, of Victoria, was charged with possession of child pornography.

What parents can do

Never put a computer in a child's bedroom.

Stay in contact with your child during the day.

Install a computer software that will monitor Internet activity.

Enable parental controls on smartphones and Internet routers.

Purchase an Internet router that will allow content filtering, which can check for keywords or phrases on social media sites.